Another Journey Awaits
by Gunxswordalways
Summary: It has been three years since the three friends have seen each other. Fuu is trying to save enough money to travel to Europe, but what happens when she runs into her friends again? Will they join her? Will new love and emotions come into play? (Jin/Fuu)
1. Chapter 1: Fuu

_"Four years today..." _Fuu sighed to herself sorrowfully. She gradually checked off an empty space on a yin calendar, hanging before her on a wall inside the kitchen of the tea house.

"Fuu!" squeaked an annoyed voice from the eating area. A head peeked out through a screen door which separated the feasting zone from the kitchen. A young waiter; dressed in a tea house working kimono, looked frantically over at her in desperate need of help. "Fuu, please stop day dreaming and come help me with these customers!" the waiter exclaimed impatiently.

Fuu opened her eyes in surprise. For a split second, she had forgotten that she had taken this job at the tea house for the summer. She had forgotten that she was as a simple girl, all alone in the world. For a second she had forgotten that she no longer had two body guards constantly at her side. She had also failed to recall that she desperately needed this job, with the little money she had, and day dreaming about the past wasn't going to help her earn any money.

"Coming!" she finally cried, bustling out of the kitchen and into a huge crowd of hungry customers who were starving for food. _"Great," _she thought agitatedly. "T_his is going to take forever to get these orders done before I can eat something myself."_

Rubbing her stomach hungrily, she walked over to a table seating two men. Forcing on a fake smile, she looked down at the two who were grunting and stuffing their noses into the menus. They both were extremely husky and out of shape. _**Pi**_**_ggish _**would have been the proper term.

"Can I take your order?" she inquired sweetly, swaying anxiously back and forth.

One man laid down his menu and focused up at her with a smug expression on his chubby face. He was unshaven and his black hair was thinning on the top of his head. He had at least 3 double chins that dribbled down his chest, which didn't make his tight brown _haori _any more flattering.

"Of course you can sweetheart. There aren't that many pretty girls like you in this town. Can I order one of you, with a side of dumplings?" the man snickered, slapping Fuu on the ass.

"Hey, you jerk! " Fuu growled angrily. She looked over to one of the waiters who was giving her a "**_Just please the customers " _**look. Sighing in defeat, "Just order off the stupid menu." she insisted, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

The man opposite his companion also put down his menu. He seemed to be an identical twin to his overweight accomplice; looks and all.

"Aww, come on sweetie." the other man whined in a gurgling voice. "We just want some fun." He grabbed Fuu's hand and pulled her close to his greasy face.

"Just one kiss and then we will do more later." the fat man pursed his fat lips out, smashing her right up to his fat body.

"Let. Go. Of Me!" Fuu shouted in discomfort, trying to wrench out of the man's grasp.

Suddenly a loud bang came from behind the three.

"Hey assholes, let go of the chick." a gruff man's voice threatened from the same direction of the bang.

The two men whipped their heads around to only see a wild haired guy, wearing a red loose jacket over a tan worn out t-shirt, with baggy pants and sandals. He stood confidently on a broken chair, with one hand scratching his brown scraggy hair, while the other one gripped onto something slung down his back.

When Fuu finally squirmed to catch a glance at the man, she felt her all of her body halt. Her jaw dropped down so low that she could barely utter out a single word.

"M..m..Mugen?"


	2. Chapter 2: Deja Vu

Mugen stared at her for minute, taking in Fuu as if he had seen a ghost. She was almost unrecognizable to him. "_Had she really changed that much?" _Shaking out his trance, Mugen snarled his lip up into a wicked smirk

"Who else do ya think it is girly?" he belitted, whipping out his sword. He pointed the tip and waved it towards the two fat men."Now when I count to three, you two fat asses need to let go of her and get the hell out of here."

"One.."

"Two…"

The two men looked at each other and just started howling in laughter, rolling their eyes at this foolish punk who had interrupted their pleasant afternoon. They both slowly rose off their chairs; the man holding Fuu shoved her down onto his seat.

"You be good now sweetie," he patted her cheek. Fuu chomped her teeth at his fingers. " Oo fiesty, just how I like them." He smirked, "I want you to be nice and cute for when Papa gets back."

"Jeez, can it take you any longer to get over here?" mocked the wild haired guy.

"Hey listen kid, why don't you mind your own business and leave that sharp sword out of it." One of men informed menacingly.

Fuu looked wildly around. All of the customers had stopped eating and were paying attention to the commotion in the middle of the room. Why did this seem way too familiar to her?

"Mugen! You better not break anything!" the girl threatened, noticing that all too mischievous glint in his eye.

"Don't worry, I'll only break these guy's bones!" he cackled back.

She just humphed in helplessness, mumbling under her breath, "That idiot is going to destroy everything."

Suddenly, hand fell onto Fuu's back. It was a light touch, soft yet controlling, making her heart lurch in place and shivers crawl down her spine. She knew that touch, that feeling. Shakily turning her head, she gasped in disbelief.

"What's going on?" breathed a soft voice from a tall man standing behind her. Fuu's skin rose in goosebumps as she gazed up at the slender man a navy blue kimono.

"J..Jin…" she stammered as the black haired man carefully scrutinized her from head to toe, behind his lightly rimmed glasses.

_"What? Where the hell did he come from?"_ She thought frantically to herself. Fuu stammered, trying to find the proper words, despite her utter shock. "Uh..Mugen... those men...they... uh.." She gulped and fell back into her seat, too overwhelmed and dizzy to say anything else.

Jin just nodded and glided over to the uproar between Mugen and the two obese twins. Fuu could not keep her mouth shut. She hadn't seen these two in four years and now they were … just **both** magically here?

"What the hell is going on?!" She shouted into the air... as if anyone would actually answer.

"Hey listen here you bastards! You either can fight me or leave, but either way," he shot a toothy grin, holding up his blade, "I will end up kicking both of your fat asses!" Jin out of the blue, slid next to Mugen without a word.

"Whoa.. where the hell did you come from?" Mugen questioned, seeing his old silent friend to his right.

Jin eyed him but stayed silent.

Mugen rolled his eyes and looked back at the men. They were starting to come after him, swinging their huge fists around clumsly. He dodged them easily. Swaying to his beat box moves, he wove around the two men and slashed his sword at their legs. The men screamed, thrusting fat fists towards Mugen and missing; smashing table to pieces instead. Jumping up, the crazy eyed man summer salted in the air and landed behind the men, breaking a chair to pieces.

Fuu winced and shook her head. "Damnit..."

Suddenly, one of the men grabbed a pot and chucked it at Mugen, distracting him while the other one reached out and picked up active swordsman by the scruff of his shirt.

"Not so hot any more are you?" he spat.

Jin watched silently as Mugen squirmed around helplessly in mid air, kicking furiously and cussing every word aloud. Sighing, Jin strode over and placed a hand a hold both of his sword handles. Stepping slowly toward the two men, who were jeering at Mugen's position; he gracefully whipped his swords at them.

Wincing, the men opened their eyes to see that they didn't have a single scratch on their body.

"What the hell man! Did you lose your touch real quick?' Mugen berated

"Pfft… what did you do there pretty boy? You didn't …" the man stopped, for in a split second he and his companion's clothes suddenly slid off their bodies. Mugen burst out laughing hysterically, along with the rest of the tea house customers. The two men's faces turned beat red. Dropping Mugen, they both ran out with their hands covering the nudity below their waists, cursing revenge on the samurai with glasses.

Jin walked back over to Fuu, covering a slight smile on his face. Fuu was laughing so hard, that she toppled over in her chair.

"J.. Jii…Jin! Hahaha that was so funny." she cried from the floor.

Mugen walked over to them, howling in amusement.

"Damn fish face, way to piss them off!"

"I didn't want to make a gory scene in a public place, unlike you and your foolish actions." He murmured solemnly.

Mugen squinted angrily over at Jin. "Why you little..." Beginning to retaliate to Jin's comment, he was immediately cut off by an enraged tone of a man's voice.

"FUU!" A steaming hot elderly man burst out of the kitchen screen, shaking his fist furiously. "Are These Two Your Friends?"

Fuu nodded with a wide, silly grin still plastered on her face.

"ALL OF YOU OUT! I WILL NOT STAND ALL THIS COMMOTION IN MY RESTAURANT! FUU YOU'RE FIRED!" The man roared. Three waiters rushed out and pushed the three out on the curb.

"And don't come back!" The owner cried, twisting back inside the tea house.

Then, it was finally at that moment, when realization had struck Fuu hard across the face. Deja Vu. A huge commotion where the three of them had met up had happened before... and now it had happened again. Fuu's eyes widened, could history be repeating itself? Would this be a sign of another Journey for these three?

**Only time could ever tell...**

N/A: So after two years of writing only five chapters of this story, and having some people beg and message me to continue it... I finally took it upon my self to redo it and start again. I hope you all like it so far. Already eager to know what is going to happen next? Stay tuned and you will find out! Fuu has changed and so have the two boys... mmmm I sense some romance?


	3. Chapter 3: Catching Up

Fuu sat on the dirty road with a disappointed/irritated look on her face. She sighed. "Great… thanks guys. First day we see each other in four years and you idiots already make trouble! And you got me fired!" She complained flailing her arms up and down . "I needed that money!"

"Oh stop complaining girly. We saved your ass didn't we?" Mugen informed her with a careless shrug.

Fuu glared angrily at her friend. She let her eyes caress over his strong jaw line and up his rough skin, letting her eyes roll onto his tragic eyes. His face exposed long skinny scar on the side of his left eye, half hidden by shaggy hair, and dragged back towards his ear. He looked a lot older. More tired. Sadder.

She scrunched her face, and attempted to reach our a gentle hand towards his own scruffy complexion. "What happened to your face?"

"Some ass hole side swiped me a year ago." He brushed her away, eyes shifting a little, offering a hint that he wasn't being all that truthful.

_"Liar"_ Carefully getting up, Fuu brushed off the dirt on her pink kimono, straightening out all of the wrinkles in it. She weighed herself on both of her feet, unsure of what to do next. Soon enough, silence overtook the conversation, and three just simply observed one another for a few minutes, taking in every physical change on their bodies that had manifested in the last four years.

"Four years…" Jin chewed on the amount in his mouth. He looked at the two cautiously while hoisting himself up.

"Wow… it has been really long hasn't it?" Fuu acknowledged. She paused, shifting her large doe eyes over towards Jin. "I did kind of miss you guys." she admitted shyly.

"Eh…." Mugen uttered.

"MUGEN YOU JERK!" she retorted, slapping him hard on the shoulder.

"Hey, ow! Ok I missed ya two? Happy? Jeez… _damn bitch..._" he replied rubbing the welt on his skin.

She smiled in satisfaction. "Why don't we..." Fuu paused, almost too afraid to ask.

"Go on." Jin breathed encouragingly.

Fuu's heart fluttered at his voice, and a smile crept on her face. "Why don't we go find some place so we can catch up? Like a place where we can eat!" Fuu clapped excitedly.

The two men looked at each other with a shrug. They were notorious for never passing the opportunity of food at the door. They hoisted themselves up and began to walk down the road to look for a restaurant.

"Hey! Wait up!" she cried, scrambling behind them. "By the way dinner's on you guys.. since you got me fired an' all!" Both of them flinched in the thought of paying for dinner.

"What? Can you believe this chick?" Mugen whispered over to Jin. "First day in seeing us and she expects that we have money and will pay for her?" he scoffed.

"We did get her fired." Jin pointed out.

"So? Damn fish face! Why do you always have to side with her!"

"…"

"…whatever." Mugen grumbled.

"Over here you guys!" Fuu called out, jabbing her finger over at a small restaurant on her right. The sign above it read, **Sentaki's Delight_. _**"This place has the best food around town! Not a lot of people come during this time, so it is perfect for us to talk without you guys getting distracted." She informed them, eyeing Mugen especially. Jin nodded in approval and stepped in, while Mugen muttered unpleasant retorts trailing behind.

Fuu waited a bit and almost exhaustively rested the back of her head on the building, tilting her chin up to view the blue sky. She couldn't believe they were back. _"They were actually back." _She couldn't help but feel a smile slip onto her lips again. It was strange feeling. A sensation of comfort yet wonder, and a little bit of nervousness too. A good nervous feeling though. Oh, she had so many questions bubbling at the tip of her tongue. _"Why were they both here? And at the same time? Where had they been for so long?" _ .

"Hey girly! Are you coming in or not?" Mugen suddenly called out from inside.

"Yea, yea... I'm coming, I'm coming. Keep your shorts on." She called out. Sighing in satisfaction, she turned around and ran in to meet her friends and figure out what the hell was going on.


	4. Together At Last

The three friends sat at a small round table in the middle of the restaurant, browsing through it's dinner menus.

"Ill take the Oyakadon Donburi and the Tempura, with a side of Tuna Sashimi, and a Amazake to drink! Got it?" Fuu exclaimed hungrily, slamming her menu down to eye the waiter, making sure he had understood everything she had ordered. The man just looked at her in shock. A girl that petite eating that much was very uncommon and quite un-lady like.

"Uh…y..yes …" stammered the waiter. "Ahem..and.. you sir?"

"The Yakatori and a herbal tea. Please," uttered Jin, handing over his menu to the waiter without giving him a slightest glance.

"Alright? And you?"

"I'll have what he is having, but I'mma have a saké instead of that fancy drink." Mugen noted, tossing his menu over to the waiter who was trying to scribble down all the orders.

"Ok! I'll be back with your drinks soon!" he stated in a croaky voice, slowly stepping back and accidentally stumbling on a few chairs.

Mugen smirked as he watched the clumsy waiter run embarrassingly back into the kitchen. He turned back towards Fuu and snickered, "Damn girly, I almost forgot you had an appetite of a horse."

Fuu shot Mugen a dirty look, ignoring his remark. She looked over at Jin, who was observing the scenery of the restaurant. Following his gaze she began to examine it herself. It was vacant, which made the aura peaceful and serene. The walls were painted with gold and red spirals, speckled with unique foreign paintings of nude men and women. (She tried her best to avoid those paintings). A small bar was a placed in the corner where a quiet bar tender stood, cleaning kettles and cups. He stole glances at them every so often, curious of these three new strangers in the restaurant.

Fuu peered down to notice that the table was the colour of Jin's hair, shiny and glistening like hot oil that fuels a lantern. They were made out of glossed wood, shaped into circles with a silky maroon cloth draped on top of all of them. The tables were accompanied with dark red squared chairs with no backs to them. A soft melody was playing in the background of the scenery, incorporating chimes and a gentle harp into a peaceful nonchalant melody.

"So… guys… why are you here in Kyoto?" Fuu asked loudly in the midst of the soft music.

"Mmm…" Jin uttered, his eyes flicked over to Mugent.

"… Uh…" Mugen stared at her demanding stare, his hands tensed. "Damn... well I just heard you were in town and all and decided to pay ya a visit…" he cut off. Fuu raised her eyebrow at him in disbelief. "Don't give me that look! You still owe me those hundred dumplings, ya know." Mugen scoffed, kicking his feet on the table and leaning back casually.

"As did I hear that you were here…." Jin added softly. Fuu looked over in surprise. Jin was blushing immensely, avoiding eye contact with her. Even Mugen was trying to look around the room, avoiding eye contact, pretending like that his comment to Fuu was _no big deal_.

"You heard that I was here? Do you mean that you guys were…. looking for me?" Fuu inquired, her lips quivering into a hoping smile.

"Well I as sure hell didn't know this bucko was here." Mugen jabbed a dirty thumb over to Jin. "_Ya damn cock blocke_r." He muttered under his breath.

Fuu squinted at the two. "How odd is it that you two just ended up here at the same time." She sighed with a smile. "It must be fate that brought us back together again huh?"

The two just turned their heads around and began to whistle in a odd tune, avoiding her question.

"Jerks..." she grumbled agitatedly. But she did end up curving that smile all the way. "_Even if they won't admit it, I know they agreed with me." _

"What have you been doing for the past years, Fuu?" Jin asked calmly, quickly changing the subject.

Fuu blushed, she had loved Jin's soft tranquil voice, especially when he spoke her name. _"Fuu…"_

"Oh, well I have been traveling around a lot, trying to gather up enough yen to go to _Europe."_ She informed them brightly.

Both of the men's eyes widened in shock.

_"Europe?" _Jin breathed suspiciously.

"Are you crazy? Why the hell would you want to go there!" Mugen shouted, spit flying on the table.

Fuu looked down ashamed "I have to find someone there." She sighed, in a regretful tone.

"Don't tell me that you have another sunflower man to go after?" Mugen moaned.

"NO!" she scolded, then paused. "I made a promise that I would go over to Europe when I turned 19 and meet someone there." The two across from her stared at her with inquiry. "Ah, but never mind that! Jin, what have been doing these years?" Fuu asked, ignoring the men's curious glares which were boring holes into her head.

"….. nothing." He replied, his eyes darting away from her gaze.

"Nothing? Oh come on Jin!" she pleaded, pouting her big brown doe eyes.

Jin grimaced, _"Why does she have to do that, she is so… cute." H_e thought, restraining himself from feeling anything else.

"You had to have done something? Fight anyone? Do any odd jobs?" she asked encouragingly.

Jin just shook his head. "No." he confirmed.

"I don't buy it." Mugen interjected. "Every time you lie, you avoid Fuu's eye's. Come on four eyes, what have you really been up to?" He interrogated.

The waiter suddenly bustled back in with a tray of drinks.

"Thank you." Jin said, reaching for his hot tea and cupping it in both hands.

Mugen grabbed his saké thirstily and gulped it down in one swig. Fuu gagged at him in repulsiveness as she took a sip of her Amazake.

"Your food will be out soon." The waiter squeaked, hustling back into the kitchen.

"So come on, tell us what have you been doing?" Mugen demanded, slamming his empty cup onto the table.

Jin sighed in defeat. "Fine. There has been word lingering about, 'A Monstrous Samurai' heading toward Europe. It has been said that he is killing everything in sight. He is _unstoppable_."

"Monstrous Samurai? That's just a bullshit rumor man." Mugen derided.

"I have encountered him before." Jin interjected. "… we brawled once, but he disappeared into thin air before anything else could happen." He took another sip of his tea.

"What does he look like?" Fuu whispered in shock.

"I don't know... it too was dark to see when we fought." he stared off into the distance, as if seeing the memory being replayed in front of him.

"Pft… what ever… monstrous samurai my ass." Mugen retorted.

Fuu growled. "Alright Mr. High and Mighty. Why don't you tell us what you've been up to?" She sneered at the egotistical man across from her.

Scratching his head, he leaned back his chair closing his eyes and smirking cockily. I've just been hitting it up with some hot mamma's and fighting any bastards that get in my path." He smiled.

"Your lying." Jin murmured, placing his lips again to his hot beverage.

Mugen opened his eyes in dismay. "Your calling me a liar? What the hell do you think I've been doing these past years!"

"Mmmnn" Jin mumbled, refraining the conversation from proceeding into a fight.

Suddenly, Fuu stuck her nose in the air and started to sniff like a dog. "Our foods ready!" she exclaimed ecstatically, watching their server trot out from the kitchen, juggling seven trays in his arms. As four plates were placed in front of her, she dug into her dinner hungrily, shoveling it all down her throat.

The two samurai and the waiter watched in in disgust, noses wrinkled up and mouths dropped. It was incredible how much she could swallow in just a small amount of time. Lifting her eyes, she watched them gaze at her with strange faces.

"What's your problem?" she asked in a gurgling tone, muffled by all the chewed up rice and sushi grinded inside of her mouth.

"Uhh…" Jin stuttered, not being exactly sure on how to be polite in this sort of situation.

"Your eating like a god damn pig!" Mugen exclaimed, digging down into his own food. _Thankfully Mugen was there to say something for him._

Fuu glared but continued to dissipate her food. The three ate noisily: slurping, munching, and chewing on their meals. Finishing first, Mugen kicked his legs up on the table and rubbed his hands over his huge stomach, burping loudly.

"Damn that was good." He sighed.

"Ahhhhhh! I'm soo full!" Fuu cheered happily while laying down her chopsticks in content.

"Uh…here..here's your bill." The waiter appeared, stammering nervously. He shakily handed Mugen a piece of paper. "I'll let you finish up. I'll...I'll be back soon." The waiter eyes dropped down the two men's swords. This made him tense up and back off, not taking his sight off the swords.

Mugen scanned the paper in front of him, his eyes widened as he dropped down to the total. Nudging Jin, he shoved the paper in his face. Jin's jaw dropped slightly as he also read the bill. Mugen leaned over and whispered something into his ear. His companion nodded in agreement but didn't say anything in reply.

Fuu eyed them carefully. "What's going on? You guys can pay for this right?"

Suddenly it struck her _"Oh no… Of course they can't. What was I thinking?! __They've done this before!"_

"One…Two.." Mugen chanted.

"Three," They both cried, lurching out of their chairs and making a dash for it. Jin grabbed ahold of Fuu's hand as they made a run out the door.

"Hey! You didn't pay!" cried out a voice from behind them. "THIEVES!"

The three ran all the way out of the town onto a vacant dirt path. Stopping to rest, they all slumped down on the ground breathing heavily.

"I…thi..think…no..one foll…followed us." Fuu heaved, holding her hand to her chest to gasp for air.

The two nodded in agreement, exhaling with great difficulty.

"So as fun as that was…I'm guessing you guys are going to be off now.." She sighed sadly, slumping lower to the ground and lowering her eyes depressively to the gravel.

Mugen yawned "Well, I don't really have anywhere else to go."

Fuu raised her eyes up with encouragement.

"I am heading towards Europe.. I may as well join you also..." Jin added, looking at Fuu cautiously. He was surprised, she had grown a lot since they saw each other. She had filled out her kimono. Her breasts had gotten a lot larger and perkier for that matter. (He didn't mind that at all.) Her face had changed from a child's face to a grown woman's face. Her cheeks prominent and blushed with pink, and her eye lashes long and majestic as they batted seductively over to him. It made his body shiver. Her hair had grown longer too, it was down and it cascaded down to her butt, which was round and tighter under her outfit. She blinked innocently at him, making his heart skip a beat. Jin was having strange feelings for Fuu all of the sudden...but he shook them off as immediate a they arrived.

"_No, this will not be suitable if we are to travel together." _

"So we are going to be traveling together once more!" She smiled the largest smile she could give off..

Jin nodded while Mugen just mumbled in agreement. They both secretly smiled though, happy to unite the crew back together.

"Great!" she cheered. "So come on! Get your lazy asses off the ground and let's go!" She instructed them. Scooping her self off the ground she began to trot down the road.

Rising up secondly, Mugen checked out Fuu's backside.

"Damn, the girl's got some nice ass now." He commented, while gawking at it some more.

Jin scrunched his brows and grabbed ahold of the backside of his sword, jabbing it on the side of Mugen's head.

"Ow! What the hell man?" He yelped in pain, while Jin walked ahead smirking slightly at his friend's affliction.

"Come on you guys! You are lagging behind!" the girl called out slightly annoyed. Pulling out a small notebook and writing utensil from inside her kimono, she quickly wrote down a hurried entry in her diary.

_Well you'd never guess, my two old friends are back... and we are traveling together again! I'd never thought this day would come! So it is day one, and we are off to Europe together! Yup, they decided to come with me! Isn't that great, although the two jerks got me fired today from the Tea House. That was my only chance of money! Although they normally got me in some kind of trouble anyways... Ohwell, I think this journey will be so exciting! THE END_

_P.S. The Tempura today was yummy! (:_


	5. The Drunken Town

Fuu dawdled around heedlessly in front of her two companions. In the two days that they had been together, all they'd accomplished was walking down a lonely dirt road without diverting from it once. They hadn't even encountering one pedestrian. Of course, the entire trip Fuu had to stop and gawked at every amusing thing that passed her way, slowing down their movement to a minimum pace. Jin and Mugen observed almost nauseously as she fluttered about from one thing to another, "Oohing" and "Awwing" at the tiniest objects.

"Hey girly!" Mugen finally barked, breaking the ongoing quietness. Fuu stopped in her tracks and set her hands on her hips, dipping into an impatient pose.

"Wha?!" She asked irritatedly, not bothering to turn around.

Mugen grunted and rolled his eyes, twiddling with a piece of hay that he had been sucking on all day. Jin shifted his gaze over to Mugen while brushing a strand of raven black hair from his eyes.

"Do you even know where the hell we are going?" Mugen asked, scratching his head. "I mean, all you are doing is looking at every damn thing that you walk by, and we haven't turned once off this damn road! We've been walking on it for two days!"

Fuu turned around and gave the two a sheepish look, her shoulders slumping slightly. "Ummm…" She stuttered before breaking off. She didn't need to say anything else, her eyes gave away everything they needed. She had no clue where she was leading them.

"You're kidding me.." Jin sighed, rubbing his temples in agitation.

"You mean we've been walking all this time and you have no clue where the hell we're going?!" Mugen roared, his eyebrows twitching with anger.

"I thought… that I was going the right way. I figured the shipping docks were this way since you didn't tell me to turn an' all." She stammered, wavering uneasily back and forth. Her eyes lowered with shame. "…Besides, I figured Jin knew where we were going! He said he was heading out to Europe anyways!" She immediately jabbed an accusatory finger towards his direction.

"Wha…? The blue samurai raised an eyebrow in disbelief. He was shocked that she had blamed him before Mugen. _Although, she was slightly right. _Fuu was correct about his plans on venturing to Europe, but alas, he had no clue where they were.

"YOU GOT TO BE FUCKING JOKING, LADY!" Mugen roared, spitting out the soggy piece of hay in rage, while waving his arms furiously about.

"O DON'T YOU YELL AT ME MUGEN! YOU HAVE GOTTEN US LOST PLENTY OF TIMES BEFORE!" Fuu bellowed, scowling at the wild man.

"What the hell… WHEN DID I GET US LOST?! YOU ARE THE ONE WE HAD TO SAVE ALL THE TIME BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS GOT LOST! THIS IS WHAT YOU DID LAST TIME TOO, YOU HAD NO FUCKING CLUE WHERE YOU WERE GOING!" He stepped up to her, nostrils flaring and veins popping out of his head. "I don't care how hot you may have become … SAME OL' FUU!"

Her eyes were slightly taken back before they flamed back up in rage. "HOW HOT I AM?! Mugen you are such a JERK! I'M GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS SO HARD THAT..."

Jin stood there rubbing his eyes in midst of the bickering, attempting to block them out and find a away out of this predicament. Slowly lifting his head up, he gazed around to see where they were. He noticed the sun was finally falling asleep behind the rolling green hills. The moon silently creeping up behind the towering trees, peeking over and gently stretching out it's light to envelop the land with its glow. He squinted harder. In the distance, he spotted a few bright lights dancing in the darkness, bouncing off of the white clouds that hovered dimly in the sky.

"A town…?" he whispered suspiciously.

The heated debate between the other two immediately hesitated and focused their attention towards Jin.

"You see a town Jin?!" Fuu asked bright eyed and hopeful. "Maybe we can earn some money there and get some directions!" She cried, running over to cling onto his muscular arm.

"Uh.." Jin gasped out. His eyes widened and heart skipped a beat as he peered down at the anxious girl. He could sense Fuu's warm soft fingers emanating heat through his kimono. _She is so warm and gentle..._ he caught himself reiterating it in his head. "Maybe…._" _He finally answered.

"Well I'm gonna get some grub. I'm starved." Mugen suggested hungrily, ignoring Fuu's comment.

Jin nodded in agreement, his stomach rumbled with desperation for food. Mouths watering with saliva, agreed to head off towards the unknown town. Keeping their sights glued on the lights flicker in the distance, they turned left, deviating off the road and across an open field towards the town.

* * *

><p>As the three warily sauntered closer to the town, the sound of music and singing voices spun throughout the air, beating into their eardrums. The town finally appeared into full view. It was surrounded by a black metallic wall, shimmering with lights from the other side, which had snuck over and were caressing themselves all over the front wall. In the middle, they were confronted by a large, guarded, golden gate that stood as tall as the trees. The music was blasting now. It was as if the entire town were celebrating. Chuckles of laughter, vociferous singing, and lots commotion was projected from behind the beautifully crafted barrier.<p>

"Hello there!" Suddenly, called out a young male voice. " What brings you all to Ekkidan?!" A soldier strolled up confidently bearing a wide grin. The man wore a forest green uniform and clutched a sword at the side of a golden waist belt. He gazed upon the three strangers in interest, especially eyeing Fuu. She blushed bashfully in return.

He was quite handsome: black hair swooped right above dark red glimmering eyes that gleamed brightly against the soft gentle shine of the moonlight. The man's nose was sharp and long, accommodating with a broad jawline, maculating his smile. He seemed to be about Jin and Mugen's age, although his appearance wasn't as menacing and demeaning as theirs… but… then again_ no one's was_.

"Hey man, can we come in your town to grab some food?" Mugen ignoring his question, growled hungrily.

"Of course! All guests are welcome!" He looked at Fuu and winked. "Please, come into our town, Ekkidan. You are just in time. We are celebrating this new product that Europe has just bartered with us. Everyone loves it, it is some new type of alcohol… it's called _liquor."_

"Sounds good to me." Mugen stated with a shrug, strolling ahead up to the opening gates.

"So… where do you hail from pretty little lady?" The man asked, focusing on Fuu.

"O.." Fuu stuttered, her face shaded into a light pink. "I'm from Edo!"

Jin glared at the man almost in spite, he didn't appreciate how this man was eyeing her up and down.

"Well, Im Sakki-dan, and what is your beautiful name?" He cooed, offering his arm for Fuu to hold onto.

"O..hehe.. I'm Fuu." She giggled, leaving Jin's protective side and clutching onto this stranger's.

"Well Fuu of Edo, care to join me for a stroll through our lovely town?"

"Um… sure.. as long as Jin's ok with it.." Fuu turned around to Jin, who was grinding his teeth in together. "Can I go with him?!" She asked hopefully.

"Mmnn..."

Fuu scowled. She was hoping for a better response than that. More like a, "no" or a "get your hands off of her."

"Ok fine! Take me away Skki-dan!" She laughed as he tugged her along into the village, giving cursory glances back at Jin to see if he had removed his expression from a stale face.

Nope.

* * *

><p>Releasing a long sigh, Jin waited until they were out of sight and ambled quietly inside the town. There was a lot of commotion inside. People crowded the streets grasping bottles of clear or yellowish tinted liquid. There were drunks singing to random tunes in the nightly air, swinging around lamp poles and taking swigs of the bartered gift. He gazed up to notice the colourful lights draped high from building to building, reflecting and casting a strange glow over the town; a dark but yet somehow bright aura.<p>

"Well hey there handsome!" A woman laughed, clumsily tripping and falling onto the unaware samurai. Jin quickly caught her and tried to prop her back up. The drunken woman smiled sloppily up at him, holding two bottles of liquor with joy. She had black hair that was pinned up in a messy bun, falling loosely in front of her creamy white face. Her eyes were as black as the night and twinkled like stars in the sky. She was busty but had the waist of an eleven year old. Jin's eyebrows rose slightly at that part.

"I've never seen you around here before! Where are you from?!" The woman almost yelled, taking one of her bottles of alcohol and downing what ever was left. She tossed it carelessly to the side of the road.

He just stared at her unresponsive. The woman wore a fancy exposed kimono and had a loot of makeup plastered all over her face. _A hooker,_ Jin naturally assumed.

"You are a quiet one you are." She prodded her finger onto his glasses. "Hey! Why don't you be a doll and bring me to the bar over there so I can meet some of my gals. My name is Hotaru, what's yours!?."

"Jin." he replied. Hotaru eyed Jin, who was lightly keeping a few fingers near his swords, his eyes darting around.

"You must be a samurai…" She paused. "You aren't that monstrous samurai are you?!" She howled with laughter, releasing from his grip and stumbling ahead of him.

Jin's eyes widened in curiosity. "You've heard of him?"

The woman nodded as they walked to the bar. She staggered a few steps as she took another gulp of her remaining liquor bottle. "Who hasn't heard of him. He came through our town last week…. killed all the samurai men that were in town at the time. The others were away on a mission…. so when they came back..." Hotaru stopped and shuddered, another swig of liquor.

"I think that's enough." Jin noted, laying a hand on the bottle and gently pulling it away from her grasp. They finally reached the bar and stepped inside. There were four women who were identical in appearance surrounding someone around the seating area. Giggling and grinning at a man who was swooning them with his very rugged and crude charisma.

"Hey four eyes!" The Mugen gurgled out. He was already so drunk that his face was flushed red. He stood up and swayed back and forth, his arms hung around two busty and floozy looking women with two bottles in each hand.

"Where's..where's the girl?" He muttered, bobbling his head up and down.

"Left with that soldier." Jin shamefully turned his head the other way, as if someone had slapped him across the cheek.

Mugen laughed in a groggily tone, his mouth full of liquor. "Wow man, way ta' leave her… an' I was beginin' to thin you had feelings for her!" He gibed.

He squinted at him but ignored Mugen's comment. "We should find her so we can all get a place to stay tonight."

"Nah you go ahead, I've got all the company I need for tonight." He smirked, slapping one of the ladies on the ass. Squealing with joy, they all turned back around and continued to chatter away. Hotaru immediately leaping off of Jin and skipped drunkenly toward Mugen and her friends.

* * *

><p>It had been over an hour since he had left the bar. Jin strolled throughout the loud obnoxious streets of Ekkidan, mind lost in thought. He kept thinking about the Monstrous Samurai Hotaru had spoke to him about. He had attempted to ask questions to some locals, but unfortunately no one was right in the mind to have a full on serious conversation with him.<p>

_I really need to eat. _He finally found himself repeating over and over in his head, stomach grumbling angrily. But before he could even look for a restaurant, he suddenly heard a familiar cry in the distance.

"Let go of me! Help! Jin! Mugen!"

_'Fuu.." _ His eyes widened. He quickly sprinted towards the direction of her cry.

"Ahh!"

He jumped over people and shoved them out of the way, his eyes searching the streets, no sight of her. Then he noticed a something pink flash in the corner of his eye. He turned and to his left was a long dark alley way that was almost too slim and narrow for him to have noticed. He ran over to it and sure enough there was Fuu, backed up in a corner with Sakki-dan breathing down her neck. He was already sliding her pink kimono off her shoulders, large hands were gliding up her smooth legs.

"Get off of me you ass hole!" She cried.

"Oh come on baby, you know you want this." He leaned his face down on her body.

A dark shadow suddenly cast over the two, causing Sakki-dan to pause. "Let go of her."

The soldier whipped his head around to see Jin steadily holding his swords.

"Back off, she is with me." Jin re-gripped their handles. Eyeing his hands, Sakki-dan immediately lurched toward Jin, whipping out a blade and slicing it around in the air. The two swords clashed as Jin made only one swift movement to block his opponent's blow. Fuu quickly jolted up, fixing her kimono and braced herself for the inevitable.

"ARGG!" The man cried as he launched again at Jin, who smoothly stepped out of the way and slashed his sword along the side of his stomach. Sakki-dan fell instantly, clutching his sides and groaning in pain.

Jin raised his sword again, readying himself for the kill, when Fuu ran in front of him and held out a hand.

"Stop!" She pleaded. "Can't you see he is drunk? He has no idea what he is doing. Let's just leave..."

Jin lowered his swords and slid them back in their holders. They walked out of the alleyway, silently, leaving the moaning victum behind.

* * *

><p>"Are you ok?" He finally spoke, shooting her a brief side glance.<p>

"Yeah, I'm fine... I guess I shouldn't have gone with that guy huh?" She simpered.

"Mnnm.." Jin replied. He was just pleased that he caught him before anything terrible happened.

Fuu sighed, "Let's find a place to stay tonight with the little money we...I have, and we will find a job tomorrow." She suggested. "By the way.. where's that jerk face, Mugen?"

Jin turned and gave her a, d_o you even have to ask, _look before Fuu got the idea.

The two walked in silence, listening to the aura of the night.

_I should thank him for saving me_. _Like always... I am such a fool sometimes. He probably just thinks I'm such a nuisance. I wonder if he was looking for me? Maybe he was? No... don't be stupid Fuu." _Her face scrunched while she scolded herself inside her head. Jin silently watched her, sensing the tension between them. Allowing her to have her space.

They finally strolled up to a small inn. The owners seemed to be occupied so they shrugged and slipped into the building. One by one, all the rooms seemed to be full, except for one...

"Uh..." Jin choked out.

"I guess this is where we will be sleeping tonight!" Fuu pointed out, advancing into the small room. She peered around as Jin came in behind her, sliding the screen door closed. It was small and shabby with one sleeping matt , a blanket, and a small window that viewed into town. A tiny glass table was placed in the corner, with wilting flowers secured on top in a vase.

"You can have the matt and blanket." Jin offered kindly.

"Oh.. are you sure? I mean..." She just watched as Jin put his hand up and waved her away towards the sleeping matt.

"Thanks Jin, but.. uhmm could you turn around, I have to get undressed.."

"Ah...yes." Jin replied, blushing. He swiveled around and stared at the blank wall, listening to Fuu's kimono slip off her body. It was so tempting for him to turn around, to see how much Fuu's body had grown and matured. He kept imagining himself walking over to her and pushing her down onto the matt and allowing his lips and body take over on her.

_No, she is your friend, remove those unhealthy thoughts from your head Jin._

"Ok, you can turn around."

Jin turned around to view her in a skin tight, white, silky sleeping gown. He gulped as she caressed it and patted it down, to keep it tight to her body.

"So... " Fuu dragged on. She stepped up to Jin, close enough so she could feel his soft breath trilling off her face. "Thank you... for saving me..." She whispered. Her doe eyes sparkled as she gazed up into his own dark, demon hidden eyes. Jin quavered as her body brushed against his, her hand gently caressing his own hand.

"Your welcome." He breathed. He felt himself bend his head carefully, his face right up next to hers. It was almost irresistible how she bit her lip.

"BANG" The screen door slammed open.

"Damn, I've bee looking for you guys all night!" Cried out Mugen's sloppy voice from behind them. Pushing away from one another out of embarrassment, the two stepped to opposite sides of the room, faces flushed red.

"What the hell did I miss?" He asked, staggering in the room.

"Nothing." They both replied simultaneously.

"What ever." Mugen retorted. "I'm going to bed." Taking one more step, he collapsed to the floor and began snoring right away.

"I guess I will too.." Fuu sighed, lying herself down. She took one last glance at Jin, whose eyes were already closed and was sitting in the far end of the other corner.

Closing her eyes all that ran through her mind was, _Did Jin... try to kiss me... _before she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Na: So I made this a longer chapter...because I am realizing that people are very eager to know what happens and are willing to read longer chapters! Can you feel the heat between Fuu and Jin... or will Mugen step in. WOA what? ha... you will have to just wait and read to find out ;)**


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